Barn find 66 L34 Chevelle SS found.

[Brucebodyman]

Originally Posted by jeffschevelle

Awesome find! Lots of interesting items to comment on or ask about. Flint cars are rare enough to find given they were mostly sold in the rust belt when new. But to find one that is not rotten and that is relatively unmolested now is very unusual, so worthy of study!! My thoughts and questions are:

1. Radiator – That is definitely a service replacement unit. After a certain amount of time they only carried AT rad’s for service replacement regardless of transmission. Those came with the plugs in the cooler lines so they could be used either way.

The G top tank code is July, and the F strap code is June, meaning the radiator was assembled in July. If the bottom tank letter code is DC, then it was assembled in 7/65. If it is BK, then that it was assembled in 7/66. If it is BG, then that it was assembled in 7/67. If it has no code, then it was assembled in 7/68 (or 69 or 70 or … ).

2. Heater hoses - I see the original spring clamp hanging on the water pump fitting. Do you think those are original heater hoses? If so, are they both ribbed? I see raised ribs on the big one. Is the small one ribbed or smooth? Any markings?

3. Tach – I see gauges in the dash, which means it came with a knee-knocker tach. Is the tach there? If so, that is a rare tach because it is a different unit with a different part number, made only for L34 with Transistor Ignition.

4. TI ignition wiring clip on firewall - That clip is not shown in the AIM for RPO K66. It shows the TI harness being hung in the plastic gutter along with the regular engine harness. So if that clip was factory installed it must have been a design change for the K66 option that never made it into the AIM.

Also if that clip was factory installed then it had to be done by the car assembly plant side (not the Fisher Body side), because there is no Trim Tag option code for the K66 option (which there would be if it resulted in Fisher Body having to do anything different or extra to the Body shell). So I would expect to see a spritz or a brush of black paint to cover the bare spot weld mark on the clip (since the firewall would have already been black when the body came over from the Fisher Body side). Can’t tell in the pic of there is any sign of that or not.

5. Vinyl top retainers - Those are the 63 to 66 version, made of stainless steel. Ultra rare to find them still in place, as it is almost impossible to remove them without destroying them. I have removed a couple sets and can tell you it is an all day job to get them out in any condition to reuse! The easier to work with mylar plastic version came out for 67 Camaros.

You will sometimes see restored 66’s that have used the mylar version, and I have had debates with some of those owners/restorers about the fact that they are not correct. One fellow claimed he “remembered them” from when the cars were new. But that would not explain how the part number for the mylar version is in sequence with other new Fisher Body roof components and roof trim part numbers that were first issued for 67 Camaros, so they did not even exist when 66’s were built!

6. Interesting that Flint apparently did not think seam sealer was necessary on the floor pan to toeboard seam, except up on the trans tunnel portion. Every other Chevelle plant sealed that seam from rocker to rocker

7. Does the car have a first design “5-hole” hood, or the second design “3-hole” hood? (Referring to the number of large holes underneath that got hood insulation.)

8. You mentioned the tail panel has been replaced. Have you checked the driver’s quarter closely? The crack below the quarter window and the flaking (that looks like bondo flaking) below the vinyl top trim looks just like a couple cars that I have owned that had NOS quarters put on way back in the day, where they cut the new quarter down to stay below the vinyl top and to stay out of the C-pillar structure. I would look and feel inside the quarter from inside the trunk to see if there is a weld seam or overlapped seam up in there.

9. On the left door, is that black along the bottom Zeibart that has run out of the pinch seam, or is it black primer like comes on NOS sheet metal? If you find that the quarter has been replaced, then if the door has black primer right underneath the red then I would think that the door got replaced at the same time,

10. The right door has definitely been replaced at some point because it is a 67 door. Note the little oval pre-punched hole in the inner structure in the jamb along the bottom body line at the back end of the door. That is for 67 Malibu lower trim. 66 doors don’t have that hole (but they do have one up in the middle of the door that corresponds with the location of 300-Deluxe side trim). You can also compare the size of the bulge around the lock knob hole. Early 66 doors barely have any bulge there. Late 66 (as in approx. June of 66) and all 67 doors have a large bulge there.

Again, extremely cool car, and congrats on the find!! Keep more pictures coming!

Radiator does have a “BK” on bottom tank.
The 3/4 heater hose has ribs as does the bypass hose.
I have the tach with housing. The tach is a Stewart Warner and I found a small box that tach wires hook to its small probably 1”x2”
The clip on firewall that holds ign. Wires does have a spot weld and it does have black paint over weld and it’s a little shinier than firewall.
It does have the 5 hole hood
You are correct on quarter panel. It has been replaced and installed as you stated. I got up in there today and saw the GM tag part number tag is still there. The tag is on the tail panel also.
The black on bottom seam area of drivers door is the ziebart that has run out.
Granted some things have been replaced but back in the day people did what they had to to keep these cars on the road. I am still amazed at the amount of factory installed items still on the car.
I’ll post more pictures shortly.

[Bill Pritchard]

Even though I have no dog in the fight here (so to speak), I just love all the detail and 'archeological finds' going on in this thread

[Brucebodyman]

More detail pictures.

[Too Many Projects]

Very cool car to find and bring home. Not at al unusual for a '66 Chevelle to be rear-ended. The tail lights are very sexy, but not very efficient. My dad bought one new and it was tagged twice in the first 5 years. It had a manual trans too and when we were sitting, waiting to make a left turn, we learned to NOT angle the car to the left at all, or the tail light wasn't visible from behind as it blinked. We also tended to keep our right foot on the brake for the right light to illuminate. Having the left side replaced seems to be the most common rear end side damaged.


I don't think I would attempt to turn the engine over in the car. If it has been sitting without a carb that long, there were probably mice in the intake/heads. I would haul it out and disassemble it to inspect and clean. If all looks good, re-assemble, as is, and fire it up.


And, when you are tired of cleaning and inspecting and don't have more time for it...

[nova67]

I have never saw a 66 Chevelle with a factory rear Sway bar? Bill Wendte or Jeff comments on this? nice survivor tho.

[67since67]

Originally Posted by nova67

I have never saw a 66 Chevelle with a factory rear Sway bar? Bill Wendte or Jeff comments on this? nice survivor tho.

'65 Z16 used a rear sway bar, then no Chevelle rear bar until '69 or '70.

[markinnaples]

Any updates on how your '66 is looking now?

[Brucebodyman]

Originally Posted by RALLY

Detail from head to toe. New carpet, fix seats and clean dash, everything very good. Remove yellow headlights, replace with factory style, buff rust off bumpers, grille, wash underneath and engine and compartment. Freshen up brakes, shocks,original hubcaps, tuneup engine, oil change filter, points and condenser and cap and rotor, wires, plugs. Body work, just fix rust spots, paint those areas and blend and buff it with the whole car. You can find a good body man to go around and do this. I had this done before. The rest of the body, leave it original how it was found. Great find.

I am a paint and body tech. This car has just the right patina. I wouldn’t touch the body or paint. Light interior work mechanicals and drive it I think is right way to go with this one. At least for a little while.

[RALLY]

Originally Posted by Brucebodyman

I am a paint and body tech. This car has just the right patina. I wouldn’t touch the body or paint. Light interior work mechanicals and drive it I think is right way to go with this one. At least for a little while.

I would agree, the patina is just right. As i mentioned before do the small things to get it running and cleaned from top to bottom, interior work and detail.